Apparatus for welding



May 6, 1930.

J A. MUIR APPARATUS FOR WELDING Filed'May 11, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l gwuentor,

J5me; fl M1112" Patented May 1930 UNITED; srA- Eslf ATENr; OFFICE.

I name A. mm, or znn'rnorr, momen arrm'rus non-WELDING, P

7 .Application filed Hay 11,1927. we in. 190,404. I

' ing electric current to the sheet metal pieces have been disposed on one side thereof while pressure has been applied to the pieces and to the electrodes from the other side thereof, resulting in a deformation of the electrodes with a corresponding movement of the sheet metal which results in disalignment of the ends thereof. In the practice of my invention I have employed substantially non-deformable forms upon which the sheets of metal are positioned and'the pressure isapplied thru the electrodes so that any deformation thereof will not deform the sheets of metal so as to cause their ends to disalign'. My invention further encompasses the pro vision of the forms of irregular shape so as to accommodate irregular shaped sheets of metal and the employment of means for varying the sizes thereof so that the sheets of metal may be easily placed on or taken off from the form.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and construction of the various parts of my improved device and in the various steps of my improved method as described in the specification, claimed in my claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: 40 Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.- Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. I have shown a base 5 on which are mounted a plurality of spaced side standards 6 and end standards 7. .A table'8 is slidable on the base 5, being adapted to be actuated by means of a shaft 9 which has a bearing in the extension 10 on the base and is provided with a worm 11 on one end operating in a corresponding worm rovided wi-thin the extension 12 of the ta 1e.

The table 8 is adaptedto support a standard 13 at one end thereof and a form at the other end thereof. The form comprises a stationery center portion 14 of substantially O shape having at its to integral end extensions 15. Positloned wit in the center portion 14 is a cylinder 16 within which may bepositioned a. pair of pistons, one connected so with the rod 17 and the other connected with the rod 18. The rod 17 is pivotally connectotallyvconnected as at 26 to the arm 27 which passes thru the opposite side of the center portion 14 and'has its outer end located in the boss. 28 of the side piece 29 of the form. The rod 18 is pivoted as at 30 to the toggle links 31 and 32. The link 31 is pivoted as at 33 to an arm 34 which extends thru one .Side 7 of the center portion 14 and has its outer end positioned in the boss 35 of the movable por-v tion 25-01 the arm. The link 32 is pivoted as at 36 to an arm 37 which extends'thru one side of the center portion 14 and has its outer end extended thru the boss 38 of the side piece or movable portion 29 of the form. Apipe 39 is adapted to be connected with a suitable source of hydraulic power, such as an air compressor (not shown), so that compressed air or any other suitable medium may be passed into the cylinder 16 to force the pistons therein outwardly, thereby moving therods 17 and 18 outwardly, tending to straighten the toggle links" 20, 21, 31 and 32 and pushing the movable or side portions 25 and 29 of the form outwardly. Stops are provided on each of the arms 23, 27, 34 and 37 which stops comprise collars 40 adapted to be secured in place by set screws 41. 9

. A U shaped piece of metal, one end of which is to be welded to another piece of metal, is

adapted to be positioned on the table, having its top 42 supported at one end by the standard 13 and at-the other end by the top'por 1 tion 43 of the form. The side portions 44 and 45 are adapted to bear against the movable side pieces 25 and 29 respectively. As is particularly shown in Fig. 2, the side portions form are similarly indented and movement of the side pieces inwardly and outwardly is provided so that the sheet metal work piece may be assembled and disassembled from the form.

Suitable copper electrical conductors 47 and 48 are positioned opposite the side portions 44 and 45 of the sheet metal piece and are adapted to be pressed against the same by means of a plurality of screws 49 which are extended thru the standard 6, being actuated by the handles 50. By rotating the handles 50 pressure may be applied on the copper conductors and thence on the sheet metal side pieces. The side pieces 25 and 29 of the form are provided with hardened steel faces 51 and 52 respectively so as to be substantially nondeformable by the pressure which is applied thru the screws. I desire it to be understood that where I have herein used the term nondeformable I mean that the pieces are nondeformable from the pressures which will be applied to them in use. It will be readily understood that many materials may be used which are capable of being deformed by conditions which do not exist in a welding machine of this character. hardened steel as the facing and aluminum or some other non-magnetic metal for the under portion of the form.

In order that the top portion 42 of the sheet metal piece may be suitably operated upon, I have provided a top electrical conductor 53 which may be swung from a cable 54 when not in use and which may be clamped against the portion 42 of the sheet metal piece and in electrical contact with the side pieces 47 and 48 by screwing on the handles 55 which are,

positioned on the screws 56 secured to the standard 6 as at 57.

The piece to be welded to the sheet metal piece first described is provided with an end formation of U shape identical with the first mentioned piece and comprises a top portion 58 and side pieces 59 and 60. The side pieces are provided with indentations 61 similar to the indentations 46 in the first mentioned piece. A central member 62 for the form is secured to the base 5 as at 63 and an hydraulic cylinder 64 is positioned therein having a rod 65 extended therefrom which is connected as at 66 with the cross rod 68, which rod is connected at its opposite end as at 67 to the arms 69 which extend thru the web 70 of the central portion of the form and have their ends positioned in the bosses 71 on movable side piece 72 of the form. It will be apparent that the side piece 73 of this form is stationary as I preferably use is also the top piece 74 so that the side piece 72 is the only movable portion of the form I have shown this means of varying the sides of the form as constituting another way in which this variation may be accomplished.

Electrical conducting side pieces 75 and 76 are adapted to be pressed against the sides 60 and 59 respectively by means of the screws 77 which are extended thru the standard 6 and adapted to be actuated by the handles 78. An electrical conducting top piece 79 is adapted to be pressed against the top portion 58 of the sheet metal piece by turning the handles 80 on the screws 81 which are secured to the standard 6 as at 82.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a suitable backing 83 for the top piece 53 so as to locate the same with respect to the end of the sheet metal piece upon which it operates by turning the handle 84 on the screw 85. Similarly I have shown a backing 86 for the top portion 79 which is adapted to locate said portion with referenceto the end of the sheet metal piece upon which it operates by turning the handle 87 on the screws 88. Furthermore'I have shown a member 89 adapted to apply pressure to the closed end 90 of the second described sheet metal piece by turning the handle 91 on the screws 92. I have also shown electrical leads 93 and 94 to the side pieces 47 and 48 respectively so that suitable welding current may be passed thereto from conventional transformers (not shown).

The stationary side piece 73, top piece 74 and movable side piece 72 are provided with hardened steel facing 95 so as to be substantially non-deformable under pressure applied through the conducting pieces 75, 76 and 79. 7

It will be readily apparent that the two pieces of sheet metal to be operated upon may be placed on their respective forms and clamped by applying pressure thruthe respective electrodes so that even though the electrodes may be deformed under the pressure applied the sheets of metal will not be deformed because of the makeup of the forms on which they are positioned with the result that when the shaft 9 is rotated to bring the end of one piece of metal into contact with the end of the other piece there will be no disalignment and a perfect weld will be obtainable. It will also be understood that the the adjustment of the forms is not necessary in many instances but it is here shown as one means for permitting assembly and disassembly of irregularly shaped sheets of metal.

It will be obvious that various changes may be made in the various parts of my improved device and in the various steps of my improved method without departing from the spirit of my invention and it is my intention to cover by my claims such changes as may be reasonably included within the scope thereof.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for welding the ends of sheet metal together comprising substantially nondeformable forms adapted to have sheets of metal disposed thereon, a plurality of electrodes, means for applying pressure thru the electrodes on the forms and the sheets which may be positioned thereon, means for passing electrical current into said electrodes, whereby it may pass into the sheets, and means for moving certain of the forms and electrodes relative to others, whereby sheets of metal held between them may be brought into end to end contact.

2. Apparatus for welding the ends of sheet metal together comprising hardened metallic forms adapted to have sheets of metal disposed thereon, a plurality of electrodes, means for applying pressure thru the electrodes on the forms and the sheets which may be positioned thereon, means for passing electrical current into said electrodes, whereby it may pass into the sheets, and means for moving certain of the forms and electrodes relative to others, whereby sheets of metal held between them may be brought into end to end contact.

3. Apparatus for welding the ends of sheet metal together comprising substantially non-- deformable forms adapted tohave sheets of metal disposed thereon, a plurality of electrodes, means for varying the sizes of said forms, means for applyingpressure thru the electrodes on the forms and the sheets which may be positioned thereon, means for passing electrical current into said electrodes, whereby it may pass into the sheets, and means for moving certain of the forms and electrodes relative to others, whereby sheets of metal held between them may be brought into end to end contact.

4. Apparatus for welding the ends of sheet metal together comprising substantially nondeformable forms adapted to have sheets of metal disposed thereon, a plurality of electrodes, positively operated means for varying to an exact predetermined limit the size of said forms, means for applying pressure thru the electrodes on the forms and the sheets which may be positioned thereon, means for passing electrical current into said electrodes, whereby it may pass into .the sheets, and means for moving certain of the forms and electrodes relative to others, whereby sheets of metal held between them may be brought into end to end contact.

5. Apparatus for welding the ends of sheet metal together comprising substantiall nondeformable forms of irregular shape a apted to have sheets of metal dis osed thereon, a plurality of electrodes con orming, at least in some articulars, to the shape of the forms, means or applying pressure thru the elecelectrical current into said electrodes, whereby it may pass intothe sheets, and means for moving certain of the forms and electrodes relative to others, whereby sheets of metal held between them may be brought into end to end contact.

6. Apparatus for welding the ends of sheet metal to ether comprising substantially nondeformale forms of irregular shape adapted to have sheets of metal of corresponding shapes disposed thereon, means for varying the sizes of forms to permit disposal of the sheets thereon and removal of the same therefrom,'a plurality of electrodes conforming, at least in some particulars, to the shape of the forms, means for applying pressure thru the electrodes on the forms and the sheets which may be positioned thereon, means for passing electrical current into said electrodes, whereby it may pass into the sheets, and means for moving certain of the forms and electrodes relative to others, whereb sheets of metal held between them may be rought into end to end contact.

7. Apparatus for welding the ends of sheet metal together comprising substantially nondeformable forms adapted to have sheets of metal disposed thereon, means for moving the sheets into end to end engagement and means for applying pressure to the sheets from the side thereof opposite said forms, while applying heat to said sheets through means other than said forms.

JAMES A. MUIR.

trodes on the forms and the sheets which may be positioned thereon, means for passing 

